Review by: Liz Geist
Published: 2025
Author: Beth Ferry | Illustrator: The Fan Brothers
Genres: Middle Grade/Elementary Fiction, Fantasy, Humor
Audience: Grades 3–6
Number of Stars: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Goodreads Link: Growing Home
Content Warnings: None.
Publisher’s Summary
A motley crew of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their newfound magical abilities to defend their family from a greedy human in this charming middle grade novel from New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry, with illustrations from the award-winning Fan brothers.
Ivy is the beloved houseplant of young Jillian Tupper of Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, much to the constant dismay of Toasty the goldfish, who is technically the family pet—swimming in his special place of honor, the antique octagonal fish tank—and should be the most loved. It seems that’s how the cookie (or cheese puffs, in Toasty’s case) crumbles in the curious Tupper household, but soon a sequence of thrilling and magical events challenges that way of life forever.
First, there’s the arrival of Arthur, a knowledgeable spider with a broken leg and a curious mind, hidden in an old typewriter. Then Jillian throws everyone for a loop when she brings home dear, sweet Ollie, a school houseplant who just wants to be friends and sing. When Toasty splashes the plants with his tank water out of frustration, the friends learn that they can do magical things—like lift heavy objects and turn things invisible!
It turns out Toasty’s fishtank isn’t just for fish; it was made by a curious inventor who gave it special powers that, in the wrong hands, could disrupt everything forever. And a curious man with purple shoes just so happens to want that tank at any cost. Can Ivy, Toasty, Arthur, and Ollie grow to be friends in time to work together to save their beloved Tupper family from utter ruin?
Review
Growing Home by Beth Ferry and illustrated by the Fan Brothers is an elementary/middle-grade read about friendship and belonging. The story begins with Ivy, an ivy plant, and a grumpy goldfish named Toasty, who live in Number 3 Ramshore Drive with the Tupper family: Mr. & Mrs. Tupper and their daughter, Jillian. Gradually, new friends join Ivy and Toasty, including a spider (Arthur), a bee (Louise), a canary (Sunny), and a violet plant (Ollie), each bringing their own unique story and background.
While the friends grow closer and learn more about one another, the Tupper family faces financial struggles, with bills piling up as they wait for a “big sale” from their antique business. Things take a turn when a mysterious man enters their shop, offering a large sum of money for a birdcage and showing interest in Toasty’s unique octagonal bowl. The group must work together to stop him from stealing Toasty’s home. In the end, they succeed through teamwork and trusting one another.
I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s charming, funny, and full of heart. The illustrations enhance the story’s cozy feel, and the abundance of wordplay makes it especially fun to read. Beth Ferry uses vivid, descriptive language and even defines more challenging words. Themes of belonging and empathy are woven throughout the story, reinforcing the idea that home is not just a place, but something shaped by the people (and creatures!) you love. Friendship and acceptance are also themes with the message that we should embrace others for who they are, not who we expect them to be. I read this with my 9-year-old son, and we both laughed and genuinely enjoyed it. 10/10 would recommend it to anyone of any age!
🎨 The Art of the Fan Brothers
The Fan Brothers are renowned for their highly detailed, atmospheric illustration style. In Growing Home, their work creates a “cozy but magical” aesthetic that invites the reader into the world of the Tupper household.
- Attention to Detail: Notice how the textures of the ivy leaves and the reflections in Toasty’s octagonal tank are rendered.
- Anthropomorphism: The Fan Brothers excel at giving personality to non-human characters (like a spider or a goldfish) through subtle facial expressions and body language.
🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections
- ELA (Vivid Language): The reviewer noted the “abundance of wordplay” and “vivid, descriptive language.”
- Activity Idea: Create a “Vocabulary Garden.” As you read, have students pull out “challenging words” and define them, then use them in sentences describing their own favorite plants or pets.
- SEL (Belonging & Empathy): The book teaches that home is shaped by those you love.
- Activity Idea: Conduct a “Circle Time” discussion: What makes a “home”? Is it the building, the furniture, or the connections between the people and pets living there?
- Science (Plant and Animal Biology):
- Activity Idea: Research the biology of the characters. What kind of light does an ivy plant need? What is the habitat requirement for a goldfish? How does the “magic” in the book contrast with real-world biology?
- Creative Writing (Character Backstories): The review mentions each new friend brings a “unique story.”
- Activity Idea: Choose one of the minor characters (Arthur the spider or Louise the bee) and write a “prequel” story about how they came to find Number 3 Ramshorn Drive.
